Rushed Housing Bill Undemocratic - Generation Zero

Youth climate change organisation Generation Zero
says the Government is acting undemocratically by rushing
through legislation that will undermine local council
control over housing, while Auckland is preoccupied with
debate on its draft Unitary Plan.

The Housing Accords and
Special Housing Bill 2013 was introduced to Parliament by
the National Party and immediately referred to Select
Committee after its first reading just two weeks
ago.

National Party chairperson of the Social Services
Select Committee, Peseta Sam Lotu-liga, used his delegated
authority to set a two week submission period, closing at
midnight last night, despite the four week minimum
recommended in Parliament's guiding policies.

"The lack of
time given for submissions by key stakeholders, such as
local councils, could lead to a limited range of views being
considered by the Committee about a very complex matter"
said Generation Zero spokesperson Carlos Chambers.

"There
was no reason at all for this departure from good process.
Significant legislation being sped through Parliament seems
to be a recurring theme under the current Government," Mr
Chambers noted, citing the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill
restricting peoples' rights to protest at sea, earlier this
year.

"We have made a preliminary submission to the
Committee outlining our procedural concerns, and will
supplement this submission with more substantive detail next
week."

The controversial Housing Bill highlights tensions
between the National Government and Auckland Council over
the city's future land-use and housing development.

"While
Auckland Council and the Auckland public are preoccupied
with consultation on the Unitary Plan, the Government is
hurriedly pushing through legislation that could undermine
the intentions of the draft Plan to contain urban sprawl"
said Mr Chambers.

Submissions on the draft Unitary Plan
are due today.

"The interaction between central and local
government is fundamental to democracy in New Zealand," said
Mr Chambers, "Auckland Council were engaged through the
Auckland Housing Accord, but this Bill looks like backstop
insurance that the National Government can use to override
Auckland Council and other councils if their views do not
align."

ENDS

About Generation
Zero:

Generation Zero is an independent youth
organisation seeking to catalyse action on climate change
and work towards creating a zero carbon Aotearoa. For more
information
see:http://generationzero.org.nzwww.facebook.com/GenerationZero

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